Norwegian prime minister understands he’s just a prop in an Obama photo opp

It’s the fate of many an international head of state: They get a coveted invitation to the White House and then, as they are photographed with the president, everybody asks the American president a question about a subject that has nothing to do with the visiting dignitary.

Last week, that was the fate of Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, who met with President Obama in the Oval Office on the day Muammar Gadhafi was killed in Libya.

This time, however, Obama went out of his way to praise his NATO ally for its contributions to the alliance’s military mission.

“I’ve said this before but I want to repeat, Norway punches above its weight,” Obama said. “And their participation in the humanitarian mission, protecting civilians, the capacity of Norwegian pilots, their willingness to engage in some very critical missions there, made an enormous difference.”

President Obama invited the Norwegian prime minister to the White House in 2008, when he visited Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

“Michelle and I have incredibly fond memories of our visits to Oslo, and the extraordinary hospitality that the Norwegian people extended to us and our family,” Obama said after the meeting with Stoltenberg.

It has been eight years since a Norwegian prime minister was invited to the White House, and a big group of Norwegian press had gathered to cover the event. But as Stoltenberg said to Norwegian reporters after the show was over: “I think Obama spends more time on his 2012 campaign than on thinking of Norway.”